Page 269 - Encyclopedia of Business and Finance

eobf_E 7/5/06 3:00 PM Page 246

Employee Discipline

In some organizations, these work rules are discussed must use the discipline procedure. Frequent reasons for
at meetings, seminars, or training sessions. Employees using the procedure include the following:
with long tenure in the organization typically review the
Absence from work
rules periodically. Work rules should be reviewed from
time to time and, if necessary, revised. If an organization Absenteeism
makes major changes in the way it operates because of Abusing customers
new equipment, expansion or contraction, or new owner-
ship, it will need to revise its work rules accordingly. Small Abusive language toward supervisor
companies with only a few employees also need to have Assault and fighting among employees
written work rules. Such companies may not have an Causing unsafe working conditions
employee handbook, but it is still wise for the rules to be Damage to or loss of machinery or materials
written and presented to each employee. Additionally,
these rules may be posted in a spot where all employees Dishonesty
can read them easily. Disloyalty to employer (includes competing with
employer, conflict of interest)
EVALUATING EMPLOYEES Falsifying company records (including time records,
In the employee evaluation process, either formal or infor- production records)
mal, behaviors requiring disciplinary actions are often Falsifying employment application
revealed. Informal evaluation might occur at all times as
Gambling
supervisors monitor employees. Formal evaluations of each
employee should be completed regularly so that deficien- Horseplay
cies can be discovered and discussed with the employee. Incompetence (including low productivity)
When employees violate work rules, a change of behavior
is sought. Although small companies with only a few Insubordination
employees may not use a formal written evaluation, it is Leaving place of work (including quitting early)
still important that employees be evaluated regularly. Small Loafing
companies may find it easier to take corrective actions than
Misconduct during a strike
large companies because of the closeness of the supervisor
to each of the work situations. In contrast, a supervisor in Negligence
a large organization might be responsible for from fifty to Obscene or immoral conduct
one hundred or more workers.
Participation in a prohibited strike
When employees break the rules of the organization,
Possession or use of drugs or intoxicants
they often need assistance to change their behavior so as
to operate within the established parameters. Counseling Profane or abusive language (not toward supervisor)
and coaching could be a part of this process, but they usu- Refusal to accept a job assignment
ally take place prior to disciplinary actions. If employees Refusal to work overtime
change their behavior as a result of disciplinary actions
and conform to the established work rules, there is no Sleeping on the job
need for further discipline. If a change in behavior does Slowdown
not occur, then a harsher disciplinary procedure will need Tardiness
to be implemented.
Theft
The need to resort to disciplinary procedures may be
lessened by (1) smart hiring, using background checks and Threat to or assault of management representative
extensive interviews; (2) performance evaluations with
A formal disciplinary procedure usually begins with
clear goals and objectives; (3) training and development to
an oral warning and progresses through a written warning,
improve skills and increase performance; and (4) reward-
suspension, and, ultimately, discharge. Formal discipli-
ing performance and goal achievement.
nary procedures also outline the penalty for each succes-
sive offense and define time limits for maintaining records
USING THE DISCIPLINARY of each offense and penalty. For instance, tardiness records
PROCEDURE might be maintained for only a six-month period. Tardi-
Although most employees do follow the organization’s ness prior to the six months preceding the offense would
rules and regulations, there are times when the employer not be considered in the disciplinary action. Less formal

246 ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE, SECOND EDITION